Harry Potter: What Happens Next
by sketts41
Summary: It Picks up three months after the final battle with Voldemort. There is much change in the wizarding world, including a new enemy who now leads the Death Eaters. Someone who has old ties to both the Aurors and the Death Eaters.
1. Changes

Harry was greatful to be eating a fresh meal with people, instead of the plate Mrs. Weasley left him to heat up when he got home from work. This was the first time in three days Harry was able to eat with people, he usually didn't get home until midnight at the earliest. The table was a buzz with talk of the baby, the only thing that had been talked about for the past week since Fleur and Bill had announced they were expecting. Harry didn't mind this though, he was just glad to be in the company of people during dinner. Everyone was bright and cheerful, Fleur was positively glowing and Bill's scars looked considerably better as he absorbed some of Fleur's glow. Harry himself was feeling particulary happy about the baby, although it did make him miss Teddy more, Harry hadn't visited his godson in nearly a week because of the hours he was putting in at the Ministry. So much had changed in the past three months since Voldemort had been finished. Harry had become an Auror under Kingsley Shacklebolt's administration as Minister, Ron was working with George at Weasley's Wizard's Wheezes (the reason he wasn't present at dinner that night), Mr. Weasley had been promoted to Head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, Percy had been shifted to be the Assistant to the Head of the Department of Magical Transportation. Also Harry was constantly happy for once in his life, something that was different to him. He was proud to be an Auror helping the Ministry (which was finally doing something right) to fight the escaped Death Eaters and their new leader. He was also happy because he was permenatly living at the Burrow, having moved into Percy's old room. And most importantly, Harry was now in a happy relationship with Ginny and recieved full approval from the entire family when the two announced that they were a couple. Harry took a quick glance at Ginny who was sitting to his right and thought about the past three blissful months. Despite the fact Harry was working all hours at the Ministry; he was still finally able to carry on a normal life, having a girlfriend, spending time with friends, visiting his godson. No longer was he directly tied to any destinies or missions, his life had found some normalcy. Harry caught the tail end of the conversation one what Bill and Fleur were considering for names to which Fleur said Dominique, before something silver floated through the window and materialized into a lynx in the middle of the floor.

"Aurors in need of help, Quidditch World Cup forest." said the lynx in the voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Instantly Harry, Mr. Weasley, and Bill rose from their seats to the protests of their respective signifcant others.

"I got to go I'm an auror." argued Harry when Ginny grabbed his arm to pull him back into his chair.

"Fine than I'm going with you!" responded Ginny, rising from her seat herself.

"No! I'm an Auror I won't allow it!"

"Sorry Mr. Auror but I'm of age I can make my own decisions!" shouted Ginny.

"Ginny your not going, yes your of age but you still live in our house your staying. Harry I understand you have to go but Arthur and Bill you don't." shouted Mrs. Weasley from across the table.

"Molly we have to go, Kingsley wouldn't have messaged us if they didn't need trouble." reasoned Arthur.

"Ok go but be safe." said Molly defeated as Harry led the other two out of kitchen and into the garden where the group disapparated. They appeared moments later in the forest where the Quidditch World Cup took place. Originally Harry thought that they would find it difficult to find the battle, but they saw the blasts of light through the trees and rushed into the battle. The Death Eaters and Aurors were fighting in a large clearing and Harry saw that for the Aurors the battle was not going well. Artemis Mortlake the Assistant Head of Auror Office was dueling both of the Carrows at once, Pepper was dueling a masked Death Eater, Roddy Pontner was dueling Thorfinn Rowle who despite a bloody lip was dueling fiercely, and Alex McLeod was dueling two Death Eaters at once as well. Harry could see a body lying on the ground on the other side of the clearing; dead or unconcious, friend or foe, Harry was unsure. Bill and Arthur ran forward towards the groups of two as Harry sent a Stunner at Amycus Carrow which missed him by a foot. A second later Harry recieved a large blast of energy from the side that knocked the wind out of him and sent him flying into the ground. Looking up he saw the moustached Walden Macnair running towards him. Harry responded with a Stunner that missed Macnair's head by inches. Harry quickly got to his feet as Macnair closed in on him.

"Crucio!" bellowed the Death Eater

"Protego!" responded Harry as the force of the two spells threw both wizards to the ground.

"Avada Kedavra!" screamed Macnair. With the dexterity he had developed from the years of Quidditch, Harry quickly rolled out of the way as the curse hit a bush which instantly burst into flame.

"Impedimenta!" screamed Harry from the ground as the spell it Macnair square in the chest which made the Death Eater topple-over backwards. Harry got to his feet and saw that Bill was on the ground, Harry ran over to see to his great relief that Bill was conscious and that his only injury was to his right shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

"Yah it was just a Stinger Hex, pretty good one though."

Satisfied that Bill was alright Harry turned around to survey the battle. Alecto Carrow had been incapacitated by Artemis who was still dueling Amycus, Mr. Weasley was dueling a olive-skinned Death Eater with jet black hair, Pepper and McLeod were still dueling their respective Death Eaters as well, and Pontner was doing his best to keep up in his duel with the giant Thorfinn Rowle. Along with Alecto and Macnair, two other Death Eaters had been incapacitated and the battle looked like it was going to go to the Aurors. Then suddenly a man appeared on the other side of the clearing. The man was slightly taller than Harry, had had long blonde hair and a pale sharp face. The man stood rigid surveying the situation. Harry immediately began to run at the man sending multiple Stunners at him. Although the man did not wave his wand or even move at all, the four Stunners flew off in different directions once they got close to him. A second later the man raised his wand and a fog so thick that Harry couldn't see an inch in front of him fell over the clearing. Moments later the fog disappeared and all of the Death Eaters were gone. It was then that Harry saw Mortlake, Pepper, and Pontner all standing around the body that was lying at the end of the clearing. Harry went over and to his shock saw the body of Eric Williamson with his trademark pony-tailed red hair and scarlet robes, lying lifeless on the ground.

"What happened?" asked Pepper.

"I don't know I was preoccupied with the Carrows." responded Mortlake.

"He was dueling both Rowle and Macnair at once. He was able to temporarily knock out Macnair before Macnair dueled Harry, but Rowle was just too powerful and Williamson was getting run down after dueling two at once. I saw it happen out of the corner of my eye, thats when I body binded Laurus Burke and took on Rowle myself." said Pontner.

"What do we do?" asked Harry.

"You can go home Harry, thank you for coming to help us, I'll make a point to thank Arthur in work tomorrow. Pepper and McLeod, take the body to St. Mungos for now until his mother can claim it." said Mortlake.

"I'll go and tell his mother, this is the worst part of the job." said Pontner before disapparating.

"Are you sure there is nothing I can do?" Harry asked Mortlake.

"No Harry, this was supposed to be your night off, I didn't mean for you and the Weasleys to come. I messaged Kingsley when we got ambushed asking for help. I guess the rest of the Aurors were too spread out on missions, Kingsley must have known that you would answer the call. Now please go home, come in late tomorrow, and leave early."

"Artemis, that man that came last. Thats the new leader of the Death Eaters isn't it? Dantius Kray?" asked Harry.

"Yes Harry, that was Kray. And while he doesn't have the power that the Dark Lord held, he is a genius and extremely cunning. He also has a greater knowledge of the Dark Arts than any of the Death Eaters."


	2. Return to Hogwarts

It felt odd to be back at Hogwarts as something other than a student. Harry was one of the ten Aurors assigned to guard Hogwarts, which Harry was thankful for as it allowed him to see Ginny. He was also thankful for the fact that he was currently assigned to guard inside the castle; whereas four aurors were outside on the grounds and two were in Hogsmeade, it had rained earlier and now through the mist and fog a dampness lingered that Harry was keen to stay away from. After having gone over the floors Harry with met Braithwaite, Hookum, and Radford at the top of the great marble staircase on the first floor.

"Everything clear?" asked Braithwaite the leader of the aurors stationed at Hogwarts.

"All clear Max." said Hookum. "Galahad was right, nothing is going to happen tonight."

"Ya well we had to clear the floors first. Hookum you and Potter can go and oversee the rest of the feast, Radford please go and inform Mr. Filch of the extra protections we put up, I have to go and check in with Thruston before I send a report to Galahad." said Braithwaite as the four aurors went off in their separate directions.

Harry and Hookum silently made their way into the Great Hall so as not to draw attention to themselves. The feast looked as though it was almost over, most of the desserts were gone and the students looked like they were waiting for Professor McGonagall to speak. Harry spotted Ginny and Hermione sitting half-way along the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had all been invited back by Professor McGonagall to do their seventh year, but Hermione was the only one who took her up on the offer, despite also being asked to join the reforming Ministry by Kingsley. She had also been made Head Girl, something McGonagall said she would have made had she returned a year ago. Moments later Professor McGonagall rose to her feet and the Great Hall became quiet.

"Welcome all to a new year at Hogwarts, it is my great pleasure to have all of you here despite the circumstances of the previous year. It is my great hope that this year will be one of rebuilding and progress. Per usual I will remind the returning students and warn the new, that the Forbbiden Forest on the outskirts of the grounds are as it's name suggests, foribbiden to any and all students. Mr. Filch our caretaker would like me to remind all that there is a blank ban on any and all Weasley's Wizards Wheezes products and that magic is forbbiden in the hallways. With the unfortunate deaths of Professors Burbage, Snape, and Vector all of whom died in the battle last May, we have a few new additions and changes to the Hogwarts staff."

"First off it is my pleasure to introduce Angus Cadwallader who will take the position of Transfiguration teacher to replace myself." said Professor McGonagall as a burly man with short, scruffy black hair, and a thin black goatee stood up to a polite applause.

"Replacing Professor Septima Vector as Arithmancy teacher will be Ada Cartwright." a skinny older woman with short graying dusty hair stood up.

"Prudence Jewkes will be our new Muggle Studies teacher." a plump, dark-haired woman with scarlet cheeks stood up.

"And the last new addition to our staff, Quentin Trimble who will take the mantle of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." a man with neat white hair and many lines on his face stood up.

"Professor Horace Slughorn, despite innitial reservations has opted to stay on a Potions master and Head of Slytherin House. And now we have two staff changes. First off Professor Filius Flitwick has taken the mantle as Deputy Headmaster in addition to teaching Charms and being the Head of Ravenclaw House." little professor Flitwick was barely visable over the staff table as he stood up on his chair to greet the thunderous applause coming from the Ravenclaw table.

"And Professor Rubeus Hagrid will take the position as Head of Gryffindor House." said McGonagall as the entire Gryffindor table errupted in applause and shouts of approval (Harry himself was clapping furiously), that carried on from members of other houses as well. Hagrid stood up (nearly knocking over the staff table as he did so) and a watery smile spread across his face.

"Yes, yes very exciting." said McGonagall with a small smile who tried to get order back into the Great Hall. "Now it is my last announcement that a group of no less than ten aurors at a time will be stationed at Hogwarts throughout the year, in addition to the enchantments already placed on Hogwarts for our protection. If a student at any point hears something or discovers something that could reasonably be a danger to anyone in Hogwarts, please go to any of the Hogwarts staff or the aurors as we will then take the strictest measures to ensure the safety of all. Let us end on that note, good night."

Harry waited as the students filed out of the Great Hall, he moved to the corner of the Hall so as not to attract attention as he was getting enough stares from students already. After a few moments he saw Ginny coming to meet him.

"The train was boring without you." said Ginny smiling up at him.

"Well going over all the corridors, classrooms, broom closets, and secret passages was a great time." responded Harry sarcastically.

"How long are you here for?"

"Off and on for the next three weeks, they told me they might call me back a couple of times but other than that I'm here."

"Good, then I can see you. Where are you staying?"

"On the second floor, there is a secret hallway with a ton of bedrooms behind the tapestry of Gulliver Pokeby where guests stay. A classroom was turned into an office for the aurors right across the hall from it."

"Well at least i'll know where to find you now"

"Yah I think I'll have a lot of free time, Kingsley doesn't think that they would dare attack Hogwarts but we have to be here just in case."

"Well I'm glad your here." said Ginny hugging him, the Great Hall was almost empty by this point.

"You better get upstairs, you dont want to get in trouble for breaking curfew." warned Harry.

"Fine, but promise me you will have breakfast with me tomorrow."

"Yes now go." said Harry before they kissed goodnight.

With Ginny gone, Harry and Hookum made their way up to the auror's quarters, when they got to where is was on the second floor the two heard quite a buzz coming from the office the aurors had made out of a classroom. Upon entering Harry saw Radford and Thruston standing around Braithwaite's desk (all of which looked strained) talking in low voices.

"Whats going on Max?" asked Hookum.

"Vince Croaker's been found dead, his whole family too." answered Thruston.

"Vince Croaker the Unspeakable?" asked Harry remembering Mr. Weasley point him out years ago at the Quidditch World Cup.

"Hmm, they just found out a few minutes ago. His daughter would have been a seventh year, when Thruston didn't see them at King's Cross he informed the Ministry. It looks like he was tortured to death, he knew a lot of what was going on in the Department of Mysteries, I bet they thought they could get some valuable information out of him." said Thruston. "Savage is furious, blaming himself per usual for some reason. He's setting up a team as we speak that will go to wizard households and put up extra protections."

"Savage is blaming himself? Why?" interjected Harry whose curiousity was getting ahold of him. Braithwaite and Radford looked sideways at each other exchanging an almost grimace look, while Thruston and Hookum looked curious themselves. This had been the third time Savage's name had been connected with the Death Eaters or their leader. He knew that the senior aurors knew something that they were hiding as they were usually hushed about it around the junior members.

"It's not our business to say. Sorry, but Savage would have our heads if he found out we were talking about it." replied Radford with an apologetic look.

"At any rate you all should go and get some shut eye you've all worked hard today." said Braithwaite, which Harry recognized to be a polite dismissal. Harry, Thruston, and Hookum then walked across the hall where their rooms were. Behind the tapestry across the hall was a hallway of several guest rooms, after saying goodnight to the other three, Harry proceeded to his room at the end of the hall. The room was good sized with a comfortable-looking bed; but even tired as he was Harry couldn't shake his curiousity about Dantius Kray. Everyone was ignoring his questions, Harry was too used to knowing what was going on to let this go. However he didn't know who to turn to, Mr. Weasley or Kingsley were two options. However bothering them about this was dumb. Then he remembered, someone who would be direct with him, someone who he could talk to in Hogwarts. Excited and wide awake now, Harry threw the Invisibility Cloak over himself and grabbed Marauder's Map before silently making his way out into the halls. Checking to make sure everything was clear, Harry made his way towards the Headmaster's Office. When he got to the gargoyle he gave the password and quietly made his way into McGonagall's office. The office had changed somewhat since Dumbledore's time. The bookshelves that had previously held many books as well as various objects had given way to being completely crammed to the max with books. Tartan patterns were everywhere; the curtains, fabrics that were laid on top of the desk or tables, and on the walls. And a long table was placed in the middle of the room where McGonagall would hold regular meetings about what was going on at Hogwarts. Double-checking that McGonagall was still in her bedroom a floor below, Harry moved behind the desk. He stole a glance at the portrait in the jet-black frame to his left; where the portrait of a man with greasy black hair and a large hooked nose read Severus Tobias Snape, January 6, 1960- May 1, 1998. Harry had ensured that the wizarding community knew that Snape was a hero and that he had risked his life for years for the safety of Harry and many others. As a result Snape's portrait was put in the Headmaster's office a couple of weeks after the battle. But it wasn't Snape's portrait he had risked getting in trouble to see, it was the one next to it. A man with a long white beared and half-moon glasses, immortalized in a golden frame. Harry shook back the hood of the cloak so that his face was showing and stepped in front of the portrait.

"Professor Dumbledore, I need to talk to you."


	3. A Savage Tale

Dumbledore stirred and his face turned into that of surprise.

"Harry to what do I owe this surprising visit."

"I have a few questions to ask, no-one will answer them."

"It must be quite a burning curiousity for you to break into Professor McGonagall's office at this late an hour." replied Dumbledore who was smiling and not repremanding him. "You have always had a strong curiousity, it has occasionally led you into trouble; however I do have a great respect for knowledge and those who seek it and so I will do my best to help."

"I need to know who Dantius Kray is. And what is this connection he has to Harfang Savage is."

"Ah, it seems for once you have a complete disconnect from the enemy. Well I will do my best to help you, I can only tell you what I know and what I can guess upon things. Now Harry when we talk about Dantius Kray, we talk about a man who has been wrought with tragedy and who has regretted every move he has made in his entire life."

"What do you mean?"

"I shall of course begin in his childhood. Dantius Kray was born into an old pureblood family, so old in fact that it ranks along with the Blacks, Gaunts, and Lestranges. His father Montague Kray was once the Head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes and an extremely powerful wizard who was revered in the magical community. Dantius' mother Carlotta was too a powerful witch who was a Healer at St. Mungo's and famous there for being able to fix almost any spell damage injuries. Carlotta too was from the pure-blood family of Selwyn and whose brother Blenheim Selwyn became a Death Eater. Montague being from an ancient pure-blood family, was naturally also related to Death Eaters and was first cousins to both Bromius Yaxley and Bartemius Crouch Sr. As a result of being from pure-blood stock and powerful, they knew that the Death Eaters would come to recruit them and so they went into hiding as the first war began. They put the most powerful protections on their house and Carlotta quit her job to stay home and protect the then young Dantius. Because of their situation, Dantius was rarely able to leave the house and so he would preoccupy himself from loneliness and boredom by studying magic. As a result he was well versed in magic when entering Hogwarts as his parents had allowed him to use and learn magic because they felt bad that he could not have friends. Upon entering Hogwarts (a year after your parents did so), he was sorted into Slytherin and almost immediately became top of his class. I must say that I would rank him along with Voldemort himself as one of the most talented students to ever pass through Hogwarts. Now a young boy who has been virtually friendless for the majority of his life will menuever himself to fit the personalities and interests of any who will accept him, and as a resident of Slytherin House, whose occupants were children of the original Death Eaters or would one day become Death Eaters themselves, Dantius was subject to interest in Dark Magic. Now a talented boy with a thirst for knowledge is a good thing, however directed in the wrong way can become a dangerous thing. He soon found that he shared his peers' interest in Dark Magic, one because of his desire to fit in but also because normal magic had become boring for such an intelligent boy as he. And so over the years he developed an affinity for the Dark Arts and behind his parent's and teacher's backs such that many of his fellow Slytherins began to look to him as sort of a leader and expected him to join the Death Eaters upon leaving Hogwarts. To his teachers and parents however, Dantius who was a top student was expected to leave Hogwarts and excel in whatever he did which because of his parent's reputations would be something that helped the community. However it is my belief that Dantius originally planned to join the Death Eaters, having found friends that had planned that path for themselves. Then tragedy first struck him when at the beginning of his seventh year, Dantius' parents were found by the Death Eaters. From what I found out about the attack, it was Harvey Rosier who was one of the earliest Death Eaters along with his son Evan and Archibald Avery both of whom had just graduated Hogwarts and were trying to prove themselves to Voldemort. The goal was to get Montague and Carlotta to join the Death Eaters either out of choice or force, however if they completely fought against it then to get as much information out of Montague about the Ministry as possible and then dispose of them both. Of course Montague and Carlotta fought against the Death Eaters and unfortunately the two were both killed in the process. As a result Dantius temporarily renounced the Dark Arts and found friendship and love because of it in the form of Harfang Savage and Stella Roland. Harfang, whose parents had both been werewolves had been left at St. Mungo's after being born as his parents agreed that they could not raise a son. Harfang's very wolf-like image is a testament to his parentage and his lycanthopy bloodline was strengthened even more by the fact that he was born only two days prior to the full moon. As a result he would get both restless and sick during the full moon and always had a taste for rare meat. Soon after being born, Harfang was adopted by Artemis Mortlake who you will recognize as the current Assistant Head of Auror Office. Because of Harfang's somewhat scary appearance, he had been ostracized by his peers at Hogwarts, despite being from Hufflepuff House a house known for its friendship and loyalty. He was glad to have a friend in Dantius who himself knew the pain of being alone. Also for having majorly cut his ties with Slytherin House, Dantius was able to find love in a muggle-born girl named Stella Carlton. Dantius was suddenly in a happy and healthy group of friends and upon his graduation from Hogwarts, joined the Auror Office as a way of avenging his parents. However it was probably the worst thing for him, as it put him in the line of battle and made him more apt to use the Dark Arts he had learned against the Death Eaters. Soon he started studying the Dark Arts again which deeply worried Stella and Harfang who had assumed that he was done with such things. After almost two years of dating, Stella left Dantius as she was fed up with what he was doing for Harfang who she had now fell in love with. Dantius naturally became furious with both of them and soon lost himself and the values he had developed from love and friendship. A few weeks later Dantius was caught up in a battle with Harvey Rosier, the man who led the killings of his parents, Rosier didn't survive the battle. Soon after, Harvey's son wanted revenge and so he took Stella captive. She was tortured horribly for days until they were found by Dantius and Harfang who had joined together to save her. Furious and out of control, Dantius and Harfang killed Stella's captors Rosier and Wilkes. When they got to Stella, they found out how bad her health had deteriorated and that she was dying. Dantius refused to let her go and tried to use Dark Magic to save her, which did nothing but keep her alive for three days in a lot of pain. Dantius at Harfang's urging gave up soon after but he never forgave himself for not being able to heal her as well as keeping her alive when she was in such pain. Harfang never forgave himself either as he believed he caused everything having betrayed his friend by getting together with Stella and causing Dantius to revert back to his dark ways. Dantius disappeared after this for twelve years. He traveled the world, doing what I don't know, however for a while he had a job at Durmstrang teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts there. When knowledge of that got out, Harfang went there to try and make amends. However his visit resulted in nothing but what Igor Karkaroff said was a spectacular duel. Harfang, disheartened that he could fix things with his old friend returned to England and Dantius left Durmstrang soon after, disappearing once again. Dantius would return to England some five years later and to the surprise of many he seemed happy and well. He was offered a job back with the aurors, he declined however, he desired another job; like Lord Voldemort, Dantius wanted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. He said he enjoyed teaching and that teaching at Hogwarts was his new dream as Hogwarts had always been like a second home and where he had been happy the longest consistantly. I am sad to say I denied him the job for the same reason I originally denied Severus the job, for fear it would lead him back to the Darker sides of magic. I did not want to deny him the job, especially seeing the catastrophe it was hiring Gilderoy Lockhart in Dantius' place. However I was sound that my decision was the right one and so Dantius got a job as a Hit Wizard for the Ministry after having decided to stay away from the Auror Office. He kept the job for only a little over a year before disappearing again shortly before Sirius' escape from Azkaban which caused such a commotion that Dantius' departure was largely overlooked. He stayed hidden for the majority of the war not wanting the Death Eaters to recruit him as they would have tried to if they could find him. I myself tried to recruit him to the Order, to which he refused. However he did lend help in our search for the Horcruxes as he knew Regulus Black on a personal level having been in Regulus' year and House at Hogwarts, and gave me incite in the possibility of a wizard creating more than one Horcrux and what could happen if they did so. He disappeared shortly after the last Christmas before my death when I had last visited him. I lost touch with him and he remained hidden until recently. What his plans or intentions are I can not say, I've told you all I know which I hope will both satisfy your curiousity and put you in a better understanding of both Dantius Kray and Harfang Savage."

Harry stood their momentarily shocked and overloaded with all Dumbledore had just told him. He had a few more questions, but a look at the time told him he should go to bed.

"Thank you Professor, I appreciate you telling me this. I hope you will not tell Professor McGonagall but I understand if you have to."

"Your little adventure will remain between you and I and the rest of the Headmasters and Headmistresses in the room."

"I should get going, I will visit you again if I can Professor. Good night."

"Good night Harry."

Harry covered his face with the cloak and quietly left the office. He double-checked to see that no-one was around before sneaking back to his room. As he lay in bed he thought about all Dumbledore had told him and how for once in his life he was not directly related to the problem at hand. He was merely a foot-soldier, just another face in a group of fighters instead of the leader or the one in which the problem was placed on. He liked the change, however he felt oddly excluded. He was so used to having a direct connection with Voldemort; being able to read his thoughts or feel his emotions, that with Kray he felt slightly out of the loop.


	4. A Bagged Man

The night was full of noise as the loud rushing wind rustled to trees of the woods, it was loud enough to completely muffle the popping sound that was made as three men appeared out of thin air. Two of the men were clad in long black robes and were holding on tightly to the third man who was between them. A ray of light from the moon made it's way through the branches of trees and illuminated the face of the man in the middle. He looked very much like an over-grown school boy; however he was extremely pale and his features appeared as though the man was once chubby but had lost a lot of weight in a short period of time. The man in the middle was dragged through the woods by his two captors who stopped after a short while at a gigantic, ancient stump. One of black-robed men shook his sleeve back and waved his left wrist over the stump. The top of the stump disappeared to reveal steps that led underground, the two captors lit their wands and descended the steps dragging their prisoner with them. The man in the middle seemed only semi-conscious and so the fact that he was being dragged not-so-gently down a series of stone steps seemed not to bother him, if in fact he knew what was going on at all. The steps twisted and turned going deeper and deeper underground until the three men reached a very old and heavy door that was flanked with torches that lit up the doorway. One of the robed men opened the door and all three entered. They were in a large round room with a large black-marble fireplace opposite the door with a what appeared to be a very detailed family tree hung above it. There were many bookshelves against the walls stocked heavily with books, there were also many pictures on the walls of pale-faced men and women most of whom had blonde hair. In front of the fire sat two thrown-like chairs with a small table between it, one of the chairs was occupied by a man in gray robes, his face which was flanked long blond hair was mostly covered in a shadow cast by his hood that was up and the light of the fireplace. The seated man was flanked by two men; the man to the right of the chair had a brutal-looking face and the man to the left was skinny and had shifty, baggy eyes that made him look as though he hadn't slept in a long period time. The two men who had just entered the room dropped their prisoner to the floor and removed their hoods, the taller of the men had a scruffy beard and the other had a pudgy face and the same eyes as the man standing to the left of the chair. Without looking up, the seated man began to speak.

"Ah, Runcorn, Rabastan; I see that your mission was successful. And in a surprisingly short period of time."

"We found him in a hut in the mountains not far from here, he had quite a few protections around it. He almost escaped, but once we got through the defenses he wasn't very hard to subdue, Master." replied the pudgy Rabastan Lestrange.

"Wake him up."

The tall man Runcorn pointed at the man on the floor and with a flash of red light the man sat up and began looking around in panic.

"There is no need to fear Ludo Bagman, you are not in danger." spoke the seated man in a calm, clear voice.

"Please let me go, I won't say anything to anyone. I just need to hide, if they find me." started Bagman before the seated man held up his hand for silence, to which Bagman instantly stopped talking as if he was struck mute.

"I have brought you here to request that you join me and my Death Eaters. I understand the severity of your situation with the goblins, however if you join me I can assure you that they will no longer be a problem. The wizarding world has been broken and damaged, with a little work we can reform it as we please. If you join me, the goblins will no longer be after you; and under our new order you will no longer have to fear retribution from them. Join me Ludo Bagman, become a Death Eater and you will find a better life."

Ludo Bagman's face turned from fear and panic to one of deep thinking. After a few moments he stood up and looked around, before turning back to the seated man.

"I accept your offer, I see that it is the best chance I have to get a life back. I will do as your please."

"Excellent. You are underfed and tired, you will have three days to eat and rest to get your strength up before I put you on your first mission. Your wand will be returned to you at the time as well. You will remain here, as most Death Eaters do now, it is safe and hidden. You have made a smart choice Ludo, you have much to gain with us. Runcorn will show you to your room."

Runcorn and Bagman then proceeded through a door on the left, shutting it behind them.

"Rabastan I have another mission for you along with Rodolphus here." said Kray as the man to the left with the tired eyes moved himself to stand next to his brother.

"You undoubtly know of the Weasley family, especially you Rodolphus. Arthur Weasley has recently been promoted to Head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, his son Bill Weasley is Head of the Office for the Recovery and Cultivating of Magical Treasure in Gringotts, and another of his sons Percy Weasley is the Assistant to the Head of the Department of Magical Transportation. All of them are particularly influential in the magical community. It will be your jobs to lead a small group to their home and put the entire family under the Imperius Curse."

The Lestrange brothers showed faces of both shock and contempt, however they quickly hid them.

"M-Master, you want us to put the Imperius Curse on an entire family? Won't the Ministry know there has been an attack on them?" responded Rodolphus.

"Then it will be your job to make sure the attack is as quiet as possible. I do believe that Harry Potter is staying with them as well, make sure you Imperius him as well, as an Auror he will be valuable to our cause." responded Dantius Kray calmly.

A moment later the entry door opened and a man and a woman, both short and lumpy who greatly resembled each other entered the room.

"Amycus, Alecto you too are back shorter than expected. I assume everything went well?" asked Kray.

"Yes Master. Dawlish wasn't a problem at all. He was whacked out actually, must have been from all the Confunduses that have been put on him over the years." wheezed Alecto Carrow.

"Good, his death is more of a message to the Ministry than one of true importance. They will now know that they we are not afraid of Aurors, that they will be hunted down as well. And now to finish with you Rodolphus and Rabastan. It is of most importance you do not fail, we need the Weasleys under our control. Take Mulciber along with you he is particularly skilled with the Imperius Curse, as well as Burke, Harper, and Jugson. You will plan out your attack and run it by me before you go. Now all of you except Yaxley are dismissed."

When the four exited through the same door Bagman and Runcorn had before and the door was shut, Yaxley turned to talk to Kray.

"Master the chances of success for them are very slim. The Weasley's are sure to be protected by the most powerful enchantments and security the Ministry can provide."

"I know, I do not expect them to succeed however it is needed that they think I do. If by an extremely long-shot they are successful, then we will have jumped leaps and bounds on our progress. However even if they fail, the attack will shake the Ministry, and put one of the community's most prominent families at unease. If they knew that I knew I expected them to fail, they would not be as afraid of failure. I need them to fear retribution so they work harder to succeed or nearly succeed. Now have we any word from Dolohov and Vaisey?"

"No Master, they have yet to break the enchantments on Orkney's house. However I do recall that Orkney moved and the house should be empty of people." replied Yaxley.

"The importance isn't in the people, its in the message that we will send. Burning down the old house of the current Head of Auror Office will send a ripple of fear throughout the community and the Ministry itself. And once the Ministry is afraid enough we can break it's spine. Everything will fall to pieces after that." said Dantius Kray, his calm voice spiked with joy and anticipation that made Yaxley shiver.

Thank you anybody who is reading this. This is actually my third attempt to write this story, I never put the others up but instead kept redo-ing it as I was never content with what I had written...Reviews would really be helpful if anyone could do me a solid, either critical or kind I would appreciate it!


	5. The New Team

Warmth washed over Harry as he stepped out of the small elevator and into the Ministry Atrium. It was nearly noon and Harry wasn't expected to be in work til 12:30 for an Auror briefing meeting, but wanted to get in early to make sure he had a good seat at the briefing. He had just left Andromeda's house as he had taken one of his few free mornings to go and visit Teddy. Harry looked around, the look of the Ministry had changed a lot since Kingsley had taken office. The floor and all of the fireplaces that line the walls were white marble. Each of the fireplaces had a large portrait of a former Ministry member who had made a contribution to either the Ministry or the magical community. In the middle of the room the "Magic Is Might" statue that the Death Eaters had installed, had been replaced by a fountain of a white-marble phoenix that was shooting water out of it's beak and the tips of it's two wings. On a plaque on the fountain read the names of all those who had died fighting the Death Eaters at the Battle of Hogwarts. Even the ceiling which like the walls had been repainted a bright sky-blue now had gold writing that would appear across it with messages on how to improve your day or ways in which you could protect yourself in these dark times. At the end of the hall stood six silver arches that you had to pass through to get to the elevators and the other levels. For security most didn't know what they were for, but being an Auror, Harry knew that there were enchantments placed on them that could detect any concealment or disguises as well as any Dark Magic. Harry passed through one and nodded to the Guard Wizard Ned that stood at the arches. He then took an elevator, that was empty except for a witch reading the Daily Prophet to Level Two where the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was. He bipassed the Auror Office when he arrived, heading down the hall to meeting room where the briefing was. The meeting was a long rectangular room that had two rows of wooden chairs facing a stage at the end of the room. The room was largely empty as the meeting didn't start for twenty minutes, only Harry and four other aurors that were scattered among the seats. Harry took a seat at the end of the second row in front of the stage. The room was plain, it had no decorations, however Harry didn't see that there was any need for them. He waited silently as aurors slowely made their way into the room, some by themselves and some in groups. Harry greeted those who came up to him or nodded to those who did not directly come up to him but acknowledged he was there. Soon the room was filled with people, two younger aurors who Harry had only seen once were sitting next to him, talking in whispered voices. At exactly twelve-thirty, the door to the room opened one more time and a small group entered. At the head was Galahad Orkney the Head of Auror Office who was walking side-by-side with Sylvanus Proudfoot the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Artemis Mortlake and Harfang Savage followed close behind. The four walked along the side of the room and ascended the stage. Galahad crossed to the middle of the stage where a podium stood, it was then that Harry realized this was the first time he had actually seen Galahad; usually the Head of Auror Office was busy locked up working with Kingsley or Sylvanus Proudfoot and so Harry only knew of him from a picture that was in the Daily Prophet announcing his promotion. Orkney was a pale and extremely skinny man no taller than Harry with long silver hair. He had several scars on his lined face that came from his years of fighting dark wizards. He reached the podium and put his wand to his throat to amplify is voice.

"Thank you all for coming I promise I will make this brief, we just have a few issues of importance that we will deal with today. Do to the recent deaths of Eric Williamson and John Dawlish; Artemis, Sylvanus, and I have agreed to promote a few younger aurors to seniority. As a result more teams of aurors will be made with less members in each group. We are hoping that this increase in the number of teams will produce positive results. Along with the increase in groups are new assignments to some of the groups. Two of them will be solely responsible to the protection of Diagon Alley and it's inhabitants as well as St. Mungo's. Another new assignment will be for a team to work along with Hit Wizards, members of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad, and Obliviators to place protective enchantments on muggle houses and communities. While these jobs may seem mundane, they are essential in these dark times. And last but not least Sylvanus and I would also like to ask you all to please take some time to place basic defensive spells over muggle households near your own homes. Now all those who are being reassigned or promoted will be informed within the next few days, meeting's dismissed."

The room was filled noise as the aurors got up to leave, Harry himself made his way silently through the crowd and was able to get out of the meeting room before the rest of the crowd had gotten to the doors. He made his way back to his cubicle in the Auror Office to go over his report on his past few weeks at Hogwarts. Soon the Auror Office was filled with people again which made it hard to concentrate, Harry decided that he would finish the report at home where there wasn't as much noise. Instead he began to organize his papers on Death Eater profiles that had begun to clutter his desk. Harry was not very good at cleaning or organizing spells, so he sufficed to organize the files manually. After nearly a half hour of organizing the papers into categories of New and Old Death Eaters and then putting them alphabetically, Harry received a purple note that flew into his cubicle and landed on his desk.

_Harry, Galahad and Sylvanus would like to have a word with you in Sylvanus' office at two o'clock. - Artemis Mortlake _

Harry was shocked at this, he had never spoken to either Galahad Orkney or Sylvanus Proudfoot and he wondered what they could want from him. Had they somehow found out that he learned about Kray and Savage from Dumbledore? That couldn't be it, Dumbledore wouldn't say anything and even so, they had much more pressing things to deal with then what Harry knew about Kray.

And so he made his way to the office of Head of Department's office at two o' clock. The office was down a different hallway on the other side of the floor where the Heads of the different offices in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement were at. Harry looked at the name-plates on each of the doors in the hallway to find it, finally finding the one at the end of the hall that had Sylvanus Alasdair Goodwin Proudfoot- Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Harry knocked on the door and received a "come in" from Galahad Orkney's voice on the other side. The office was large and rectangular. Pictures of former Magical Law Enforcement Heads hung on the walls, including that of Everard Pringle who was also a former Headmaster of Hogwarts. A magnificent stone fireplace stood halfway down the right wall with the Ministry of Magic seal over it. At the end of the room sat a small couch and two chairs (one of which was occupied by Galahad Orkney) that faced a large mahogany desk that Sylvanus Proudfoot was sitting behind. Sylvanus stood up to greet Harry who took his hand and gave the type of handshake that you might get from your uncle. This was the first time seeing Sylvanus up close and so Harry took the moment to look him over. He was a giant man, almost the same size as the giant Death Eater Thorfinn Rowle. He had a rotund belly that stretched the powder-blue shirt and navy-blue vest and pants that he was wearing. His salt-and-pepper hair that reached down his neck, was combed back and flattened.

"Harry it is so good to finally meet you. We've, which is to say Galahad and I, have wanted to have this meeting for a while but there is so much going on we have had to post-pone it until now. Now I'm sure your curious as to why you are here, so we will get right to it. Galahad and I have decided that do to your past achievements and knack for leadership, we have decided with your agreement to promote you to Senior Auror. Now as Senior Auror you will have your own small team and you would only receive instructions or missions from myself, Galahad, Artemis, or Harfang. We have no doubt that should you take up our offer, you will rise to the occasion and run your team successfully."

Harry was shocked; out of everything he thought this meeting could be about, this was not it. And what did he do now? He hated being the leader, he much preferred doing what others told him to do. On the other hand; hadn't this been the exact reason he joined the Ministry? So he could help the Aurors and Kingsley run the Ministry right for once.

"Ok I accept, thank you it means a great deal that you think I'm ready." said Harry after a moment.

"Excellent! We will start you off with a team right away." said Galahad cheerfully as Sylvanus waved his wand, making three glasses and a large brown bottle appear on his desk. "Now about your team Harry. We have received a letter from your friend Neville Longbottom that he wishes to join the Auror Office. I know you two have worked together in the past, and he informed me that a lot of his teaching in Defense Against the Dark Arts came from you. With your permission we would like to place him in your team."

"Neville wants to join the Aurors?"

"Yes, as Kingsley extended the invite to any who were in the Battle of Hogwarts to join the Auror Office, several people including your friend Neville have taken up the offer." explained Sylvanus as he poured a large amount of mead into each of the glasses and handed one to both Harry and Galahad.

"Who else has joined?"

"Let's see." said Galahad thinking. "Seamus Finnegan; I believe he was a fellow Gryffindor, Ernie Macmillan, Susan Bones, and Michael Corner. Now do you agree to have Mr. Longbottom on your team? If not we can make other arrangments."

"No! No! I'll be happy to work with Neville, yes please put him on my team." replied Harry hastily.

"Good, we are hoping dearly that he will have some of the valor and talent that his parents had. I was on the same team with them during the first war, it was a tragedy what happened to them." said Galahad looking sad.

"Well it gives us something to drink to!" chimed in Sylvanus in a cheery voice. "To Harry Potter, the newest Senior Auror of the Auror Office! And to Neville Longbottom! May his time as an Auror be reminiscent of his parents!"

The three raised their glasses and drank (Sylvanus emptying his glass in one gulp and immediately pouring a second).

"Now the two others on your team will be selected and you will be introduced by Friday at the latest." said Galahad as Sylvanus refilled Galahad's glass as well. The meaning ended soon after that (Harry politely refused another glass of mead) and he returned to his cubicle to write Neville a letter as well as finish some of his own work. He arrived home a little before dinner to finish the report he had started earlier that day. By that time an owl had arrived at the Burrow from Neville saying how Neville was excited to be working for the Aurors and was happy to be able to work directly with Harry.

The next few days were normal, Harry worked late two nights in a row and was growing increasingly more tired. He had not announced to anyone that he had become a Senior Auror (at the request of Sylvanus and Galahad who asked him to wait to tell people until the other Senior Aurors had been announced as well). Then on Friday he received another message to meet in Galahad's office at the six o' clock before Harry left work.

Galahad's office was connected to the Auror Office itself, and it was not nearly as big or spacious as Sylvanus's office. In fact the office was no bigger than Harry's bedroom at the Burrow, though Harry thought the office would have had more room had it not been for the fireplace along the left wall. The room was dark due to the dark gray walls and the fact that the small silver chandelier only had three candles lit on it, most of the light in the room was coming from the fireplace itself and two small candles that were lit on Galahad's desk. The walls (whose dark gray paint was chipping slightly) was covered in new and old newspaper articles of Death Eaters and dark wizards. The small portion of the left wall which was not taken up by the fireplace had brand new wanted posters of all the current Death Eaters. There were notes on all of them that Galahad had written to himself about their past crimes, signature attacks, personalities, blood status, and notes on their families. The room was scarcely furnished, it only held a mahogany desk (that was too big for the office in Harry's opinion) and two rickety, fold-out wooden chairs. Galahad gestured for Harry to sit in one of them as he scribbled a letter on a piece of parchment. The desk was cluttered with notes, reports, and Ministry decrees; it was a complete mess. However there was one thing on the desk that seemed to be taken care of, a picture in a polished frame. In the picture of Galahad, Mad-Eye Moody, Neville's parents Frank and Alice Longbottom, and Amelia Bones the former Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The picture was old, it must have been taken at the beginning of the first war. Galahad's long hair was light red, not gray and he didn't have any scars. Moody had both of his eyes then, only a few scars, and all of his nose was intact. Harry noticed that without his magical eye, and disfigured nose, Alastor Moody's appearance was quite plain and unextraordinary. Amelia Bones' hair was dark brown, not gray as he remembered it to be. All in the picture were smiling and laughing, completely unaware of the tragedies they would all see.

"Ah I see you like my picture of the ol' gang. Yes that was taken in the first days of the old war, before anything truly bad had happened. It was horrible what happened to all of them, especially the Longbottoms. I will miss each of them dearly, especially Alastor; he was a great friend and brother." said Galahad with a voice that was heavy and sad.

"Brother?" asked Harry shocked.

"Well not in the true sense, we were first-cousins but we were as close to being brothers as any. His mother Gwendolyn was my mother's sister and they were very close, and as Alastor and I were only a few months apart in age and were in the same year and house at Hogwarts we were very close as well. We decided in our third year that we would be Aurors together like Alastor's father Caractacus. And so we did, we pushed each other as well, always competing to get better marks than the other in school. He was always better at me in potions, however I must say that I got him back by being better in charms. I can honestly say I was a mess after his death, though I know he went the way he always wanted to, in battle and to protect you made it not in vain. But enough reminiscing, there is a reason your here Harry to meet your new team. Now you already know that Neville Longbottom will be a part of your team, we are hoping with you he will flourish and grow into a talented Auror. Now for the other two, Sylvanus and I have selected two young men who have already had experience as aurors for almost two years now. Owen! Randy! You can come in now!"

The door opened and two boys came in, a tall black boy with tight corn-rows and a pale, sallow-faced boy with dusty brown hair that stuck up in every direction.

"Harry meet Owen Fox (he pointed to the tall, black boy) and Randy Hargrove (he pointed to the boy with the crazy hair). Both of them had started their training before the Death Eaters took over, and do to their experience in hiding and protecting themselves, their families, and muggle-borns during the time the Death Eaters ruled the Ministry we have given them the full title as Auror. Both of them say they are happy and honored to be working under you."

Harry shook the hands of his new team mates, both of whom seemed to be enthralled with Harry.

"I believe you know my cousin Lee Jordan? He always spoke very highly of you." said Owen.

"It's truly an honor to be working with you Harry, when Galahad asked us if we minded working under you we jumped at the chance." said an excited Randy.

"Good. Good. It seems that you all will get along fine and work together fine as well." said Galahad, smiling at the group before him. "Neville will be joining you on Monday as all of you miraculously have the weekend off. Now I suggest you all go and enjoy your weekend, I fear that things are going to start getting a lot more hectic, you might not have a weekend off for a while." said Galahad.

The three left the office and began walking back to Harry's cubicle. Harry decided that now would be the best time to get some of his questions out of the way.

"So did you two work at the Ministry when the Death Eaters took over?"

"For a little while. I'm a pure-blood and Owen's a half-blood so we both easily passed the Muggle-born Inspection. Unfortunately my father's sister is married to Augustus Rookwood and my mother's cousin is Zacharias Travers, so the Death Eaters assumed that I would want to join. I told them that I liked my job too much, but they kept an eye on me. For the first few months Owen and I did it, ketp watch over the muggle-borns and supposed blood-traitors in Azkaban. Then we got sick of it, and so we made a plan. We moved our families to Owen's aunt's house up North and put every protective spell and enchantment on it that we knew. Then we set up a couple of safe houses just incase the Death Eaters caught on. And then one day when a couple of Death Eaters came with a new batch of muggle-borns, Owen and I did it. We took out the Death Eaters, it was completely unexpected and opened the doors to the prison to let as many prisoners out as possible. Then we disappeared and hid with our families until the Death Eaters fell. It was risky, but it was worth it. "

"I'm impressed, that was very selfless of you." said Harry with a smile.

"Thank you, thats truly praise coming from Harry Potter." replied Owen. "Unfortunately I must go, I have dinner planned with my girlfriend. She knows that I'm getting out on time, so if I'm late she'll kill me. Cheers!"

Harry and Randy continued to talk for a few more minutes about what their first assignments as a team would be, but after a few minutes Randy excused himself as well. Harry then gathered his things and made his way up to the Atrium and out of the Ministry. As he did this he thought about what lay ahead and thought about his team. He hoped that he turned out to be a good leader, it was a lot of resposibility. As he walked through the Atrium his thoughts started changing to dinner, he had not eaten since breakfast and just realized how hungry he was. His mind wandered to roasted chicken and potatos as the doors of the telephone booth shut and the floor rose through the ground to the telephone booth in the muggle streets above. Harry hoped that Mrs. Weasley would make his favorite treacle tart as a way of celebrating his ascension to senior auror. He made his way into an alley down the road where muggles wouldn't see him disapparate. And then, focusing on the Burrow, Harry turned on the spot and felt the crushing darkness come over him once again.


	6. The Death Eaters' Gift

The Death Eaters had gathered around a long table with Kray at the head, all in the room were silent. Every seat around the table had been filled with the exception of two to Kray's direct left and right as well as one half-way down the right side of the table, there was also three wizards standing beside the table as if waiting to take their seats. Kray looked at the door suddenly as though he had sensed something and then suddenly the door flew open and a man was seemingly thrown into the room; followed by Antonin Dolohov, Walden Macnair, and Bromius Yaxley. Yaxley picked the man off ground by his collar and showed him off to the room, Kray saw who it was and his face broke into a small smile.

"Sorry for the tardiness my Master, but we decided to bring you a gift." said Macnair with a deep bow. Kray raised his eyebrows in surprise as he got up from his seat, the rest of the Death Eaters around the table followed suit.

"Archibald Avery it has been a very long time." said Kray as he walked toward Avery and his captors.

"Dantius I'm sorry it was years ago, the Dark Lord you don't know what he was like. My father was already a Death Eater, they said I need to prove myself! Please have mercy" pleaded Avery.

"You killed my mother." responded Kray coldly.

"I had no choice, the Dark Lord had ordered me too!"

"Your loyalty to the Death Eaters and the Voldemort is honorable. And yet you have been selling out your fellow Death Eaters for the past several months. We know that safe house the Ministry had set you up in was so you could feed them information on my Death Eaters." said Kray as Avery whimpered even more, he was now shaking uncontrolably. "You will pay for what you did to my mother as well as your betrayal of those you once called your friends and comrads. All those in the original Death Eaters line up behind me. You will each take a turn punishing Avery here."

Dolohov, Yaxley, Macnair, the Lestrange brothers, Mulciber, Rookwood, Rowle, and Travers then all took turns using the Cruciatus Curse on the man. Avery's screams of pain echoed through the underground room as the Death Eaters watched in mixed horror, elation, and wonder as the man was tortured. When each of the Death Eaters had taken their turn they stepped back to see what Kray's next move was, however he merely watched Avery writhe around on the floor recovering from the immense pain he had just been through. After a few minutes Avery stopped, curled into a ball on the floor, and started whimpering even more. Kray's face was completely emotionless as he stared at the man before him, after a moment he spoke in a clear voice.

"Stand Archibald Avery."

Avery picked himself off the floor, his eyes wide in shock that he was getting this repreive. He straigtened out his robes and bowed deeply to Kray. Kray's face continued to be emotionless and he stepped back a step as if to get a better look at Avery. The rest of the Death Eaters looked shocked that Kray had given this mercy.

"Thank you Dantius, you do not know the regret I feel. I promise I will follow any and all orders you bestow on me. I have already told Dolohov, Macnair, and Yaxley the whereabouts of Fenrir Greyback. I overheard some of the conversations of the aurors that were guarding me, I know some Ministry information that could be helpful." said Avery.

Kray continued to stare at Avery in emotionless silence. His eyes then looked straight into Avery's as he probed Avery's mind.

"You killed my mother, and betrayed your fellow Death Eaters." said Kray finally spoke. He then quickly raised his wand as Avery's eyes widened in shock. "Avada Kedavra!"

The Killing Curse his Avery directly in the chest sending him flying back through the air and then he hit the floor with a dull thud.

"Macnair drag this scum outside of the door so we may begin our meeting." ordered Kray as he and the Death Eaters retook their seats exactly where they had been sitting before. Dolohov took the seat to Kray's direct right and Yaxley took the seat to Kray's direct left. Macnair returned a moment later and took the one remaining seat half-way down the table. Meanwhile the three younger wizards continued to stand rigged beside the table.

"Dolohov I understand you and Vaisey were successful in gaining entrance and then burning down Galahad Orkney's old house, correct?"

"Yes Master."

"But you were not able to find what I wanted?"

"No Master. Vaisey and I searched the house many times over and could not find it and so we did as you ordered and burned it down. Which is why I sent back Vaisey and called for Yaxley and Macnair to help me on my search."

"I see. And so Yaxley and Macnair joined you as you went to the other place I told you to look?"

"Yes Master, but as you had expected it was highly enchanted. None of us were able to get very close."

"Understandable, he was after all one of the greatest wizards to ever exist. I will personally see to this endevour, I believe only my power will be able to get through the defenses put around the place."

"Now I assume after your attempt to gain entry to said building, then you went after our friend Avery?"

"Yes Master we decided to bring you him as a gift to show our loyalty." responded Yaxley.

"I see and I thank you for this gift. It has brought me peace of mind over my mother's death to see Avery getting what he deserves after all these years. I would have seen to this before but the Ministry and then your former master stood in the way. Now Bagman have you completed your task as I have assigned you?"

"Yes Master." said Ludo Bagman who was sitting to the direct right of Walden Macnair. Bagman's face looked a little fuller and healthier as though he had eaten some and had finally slept well, however he still retained the look of someone who was getting over a severe cold. "I have successfully placed the Imperius Curse over Bernie Pillsworth the Head of the Ministry Defense Office and his wife."

Many around the table began to murmur, they were clearly impressed by Bagman's accomplishment.

"This is a large step in our plans. I am interested to hear how this was done Ludo."

"Everything worked as planned Master. They are old family friends; I arrived at their house looking exaughsted and starved and they of course they let me in. When Delia went to fetch refreshments I quickly Imperiused Bernie and then as soon as Delia returned from the kitchen I got her before she realized anything was going on." answered Bagman proudly.

"And you have commanded them to do nothing, to keep a low profile, and to continue on with their normal lives until you order them otherwise. Correct?"

"Yes Master, they will do nothing until I direct them to."

"Good. Now word has gotten to me that some of you have been having your fun." as Kray said this, a few of the Death Eaters' eyes became shifty and worried as if they were afraid that they were going to be repremanded. "Is it not true that you took out Florence Brocklehurst, Derrick? And both of you Montague's, didn't you kill the Pickerings?"

M-Master w-we didn't realize that this was against your wishes." said Beaumont Montague as both his son Nicholas's and Peregrine Derrick's eyes widened in fear from being highlighted on by Kray.

"I merely express my worry that some of the witches and wizards that you Death Eaters prey on might be too difficult to handle on your own. I understand that you are a prodigeous wizard Beaumont having been an Executioner for the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. As much Pickerings were both powerfully magical people I am impressed that you were able to defeat them. But I am more impressed with you Derrick, Florence Brocklehurst was a great witch. Very powerful indeed the editor of Transfiguration Today. How did you do it?"

"I owled her under a different name saying that I was from a foreign transfiguration magazine and that I wished to have an interview. I had Flint and Higgs help transfigure my face so that no-one could tell it was me, then I went to the interview. It was late at night, the place was almost deserted. As soon as I entered her office I did it. Quick and easy. Then I used the fireplace in the office to escape before anyone could notice." said Derrick, his raspy voice sounded almost gloating.

"And the reason for going through all of this?"

"Her daughter was a couple years below me at Hogwarts and refused to date me. Now she has paid for denying me, it would have been much easier for her if she had accepted my advances." answered Derrick almost snickering.

"I see. Now I do not want my Death Eaters thinking that I am unreasonable. I will give you free reign to attack any whom you please, however you must be prepared and choose your victims within reason. If any of you are captured then I believe it will be nearly impossible to break you out of Azkaban at this point. And so you all must take great care when you make your attacks or go on any missions that I set for you. And now we have other matters to attend to. For those of you who are curious as to why we have three young men standing beside our meeting table tonight, it is because these brave boys have decided to join our fold and work beside us as we shape a better world. Now all stand as we commence the innitiation."

All of the Death Eaters got up as Dantius Kray waved his wand, making the table and chairs disappear. Also the two winged chairs and small table between them that usually sat in front of the fireplace also disappeared. The Death Eaters formed into a semi-circle around the fireplace with Kray and the three boys who were lined up next to each other and facing their leader in the middle.

"Now kneel before me." commanded Kray as the boys did exactly what he said. "Now remove your hood and extend your left arm." said Kray to the first boy who pulled back his hood to reveal himself to be a handsome black boy.

"Blaise Zabini do you swear your unwavering alliance to the Death Eaters and myself?"

"Yes Master Kray." responded Zabini as he pulled back the sleeve of his left arm and held it up to Kray. Kray then pressed his wand against Zabini's skin. A searing sound occured and a black mark began to form on Zabini's arm, it began to form into a jet-black skull as Zabini winced in pain.

"And now you." said Kray to the second boy as he removed his hood to reveal a weedy-looking boy with dirty-blond hair. "Theodore Nott do you swear your unwavering alliance to the Death Eaters and myself?"

"Yes Master Kray." answered Nott repeating Zabini by sticking up his arm to which Kray pressed his wand again creating a black spot on Nott's arm that transformed into a skull.

"And finally you." said Kray to the last of the boys. The burly boy with brown hair removed his hood and stared up at Kray. The boy's eyes were mixed with fear and awe at the Dark Wizard, however there was a sense that he was regretting being there. "Cormac McLaggen do you swear your unwavering alliance to the Death Eaters?"

McLaggen looked even more scared now then before and then spoke in a barely audible whisper. "Yes Master." He raised his shaking hand to Kray who placed his wand on McLaggen's hand quickly. Like the other two the black spot turned into a skull. Then Kray flicked his wand and all three of the boys gasped and grabbed their wrists as if their arms were hurting them immensely. After a moment Nott removed hand from his wrist to see a snake forming out of the mouth of the skull.


End file.
